I remember Nov. 3rd, 1994, pretty clearly. I was in Professor Held's Critical Thinking and Writing class at Temple University, bright an early. I hadn't heard anything about the election results, but we discussed it in class.

I couldn't understand it. It just...wasn't right. The Republicans had taken back a majority in both House and Congress, and immediately swore vendetta on the Federal Government which, irrationally, they themselves led? I had a horrible, horrible sinking feeling. Agree with their aims or not, the Republicans clearly had a plan, and set about enacting it with little hesitation. (Or thought for reason or scruple...)

This isn't like that. A narrow majority in the House and a Democratic White House and Senate, coupled with a party with no particular plan other than "cut taxes!" does not equal the same inimical threat of Gingrich's brute squad. Oh, don't get me wrong, they'll do their best to impeach President Obama - but one can hardly fear that they'll gum up the works of progress, as even out of power, they did exactly that with such effectiveness and ruthlessness while out of power, they could hardly do worse, now.

If this was the reversal after the crushing defeat of electoral reform that the Supreme Court visited, which resulted in a mid-term election that nearly doubled the ad spending than the last presidential election - and all from mysterious corporate and overseas contributes - then clearly America hasn't completely lost its mind.

You know what's going to happen for the next two years? Nothing. Deadlock. We may as well not have a government. But it could be worse - we could have got the government we deserve.

Comments

You're right... except that the whole "can't deny for pre-existing conditions" thing is going bye-bye. So it'll be a whole lotta nothing, except for that. And sorry, that's pretty fucking important to a lot of people.

Yeah, I agree. The Democrats may not have 60 votes in the Senate, but they have at least 50 good votes on almost any legislation, more than enough to prevent the Republicans in the House from passing any odious legislation. And let's not forget that in all likelihood there will be another Supreme Court vacancy in the next 2 years and that only the Senate votes on that, not the House.

Now, what will be very interesting is to see whether Harry Reid acquires a spine. Since he just got reelected and is now 71 years old, this is probably (possibly?) his last term, so he no longer has to worry about the likes of Sharon Angle. Then again, Reid's never been a very good Democrat.